tomato

noun

to·​ma·​to tə-ˈmā-(ˌ)tō 

chiefly in Britain, eastern New England, northeastern Virginia, and sometimes elsewhere in cultivated speech

-ˈmä- 

 chiefly in Northern US  -ˈma-

plural tomatoes

1

: the usually large, rounded, edible, pulpy berry of an herb (genus Solanum) of the nightshade family native to South America that is typically red but may be yellow, orange, green, or purplish in color and is eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable

2

: a plant that produces tomatoes

especially : any of various varieties of a tender perennial (Solanum lycopersicum synonym Lycopersicon esculentum) widely cultivated as an annual

How is tomato pronounced?: Usage Guide

The original pronunciation of this Spanish loanword was with stressed \ä\, as was also the case for potato. The older \ä\ pronunciation of potato is found in Robert Burns' poem "Holy Willie's Prayer" and persists in some Scottish dialects. Perhaps because potato has been part of English longer than tomato, its pronunciation has been anglicized in most dialects, with the stressed \ä\ vowel becoming \ā\, like the a in Plato (from Greek) and dado (from Italian). The pronunciation of tomato began the same journey of anglicization but was halted halfway between, so that British and some Eastern American dialects have the older \ä\ while the others have the newer \ā\. Tomato, being the name of a New World plant, might have entered the English language first in the Americas, where it would have had more time to undergo anglicization in American mouths. The various pronunciations of tomato are all acceptable in standard English.

Examples of tomato in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Daily Double, available now nationwide, is made with two beef patties, a slice of American cheese plus shredded lettuce, slivered onions, mayo and two tomato slices. —Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 8 July 2025

Unlike whole tomatoes, which can sit out at room temperature, cut tomatoes are more vulnerable to spoilage and should be stored properly to maintain their flavor, texture, and safety. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 7 July 2025

Pick up some bright red tomatoes for a salad, homemade soap, vegetables for a delicious dinner or fresh bread straight from the oven at your local market. —Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2025

Gently stir together tomatoes, habanero chiles, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, orange juice and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl. —Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 5 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier tomate, from Spanish, from Nahuatl tomatl

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tomato

• beefsteak tomato
• cherry tomato
• husk-tomato
• plum tomato
• strawberry tomato
• tomato fruitworm
• tomato hornworm
• tomato ketchup
• tree tomato

Rhymes for tomato

• afterglow
• akimbo
• albino
• aliquot
• allegro
• amigo
• apropos
• audio
• bungalow
• calico
• calypso
• cameo

Kids Definition

tomato

noun

to·​ma·​to tə-ˈmāt-ō 

also

-ˈmät- 

plural tomatoes

1

: a usually large rounded red or sometimes yellow pulpy berry that is eaten as a vegetable

2

: a widely grown South American plant of the nightshade family that produces tomatoes

Etymology

derived from Spanish tomate "tomato," from the name for this plant in the ancient language of the Aztecs